Gomugomu no Ongaku
by LordofCamels
Summary: RATED T FOR MILD LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE!   What would happen if One Piece was in real life, and Luffy was really bored, and he just so happened to come across a guitar...
1. Guitar

**Right. I'm gonna skip all the excuses for how random this is, and just move straight on to the fanfic. **

**I don't own one piece and I'm not Oda**

**This was Edited by Mountain94. You have my thanks.**

**A/C= Authors comment**

**E/C=editors comment**

**Please review my story. I can take criticism, however, trollers will not be tolerated. **

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><p>Rain pounded on the sidewalk outside, making it shimmer. It had been raining for days now. Little streams had formed on the street, sweeping away leaves, twigs, and trash into the storm drain. Everyone was at home now, there had been a flood warning earlier, giving people an excuse to leave work and get to high ground.<p>

The fifth floor window was almost impossible to see out of. The rain ran down it like tears. On the other side, a boy was lying on his stomach on a beanbag, trying to see outside. He had tousled black hair and black eyes. He was wearing black cargo shorts, a red tee shirt, and a bored expression. A straw hat hung on his back from a string around his neck. He gave up on the window and flopped on his back, sighing heavily.

"I'm hungry!" he moaned, "Sanji, can we have lunch?" He looked toward the coffee table where two men sat playing risk. And failing at it.

"You've just had lunch," said one. He had blonde hair, parted over one eye. His remaining eyebrow curled at the end. A cigarette drooped from his mouth. He was wearing dark jeans rolled up a little, and a red dress shirt. Sanji took a card from the deck on the table and scowled. He just needed one more.

"But Sanji, I'm bored!" said the boy, looking at Sanji up side down.

"That's no excuse to eat, Luffy. Last time I let you eat cause you were bored, you ate all the food in the house, including the cat food. Shut up, I'm trying to win a game here." Luffy moaned again and rolled on his stomach. He snatched a rubber ball and flung it across the room. It bounced off the door to the apartment and disappeared under the sofa.

Sanji drew another card. "Ah ha!" he said with a look of triumph, "counter this!" he put down three of the same cards. His opponent frowned. His distinguishing feature was his bright green hair, and the three swords he had leaned against the sofa within grabbing distance.

"Zoro," asked Luffy, looking at the green haired man, "are you loosing?" Zoro glared at Luffy. "That's what it looks like," Luffy said, the bored tone never leaving his voice.

"If you're bored, why don't you help Chopper with whatever he's doing." Zoro growled, then made an angry gesture over to a small boy sitting at the kitchen table. He had tan skin, shaggy brown hair, and big brown eyes that often made girls stop and croon. In reality, he was fifteen, but at four feet, many mistook him for being five. His personality didn't help people correct this misconception.

Right now, Toni-Toni Chopper wearing a lab coat and was mixing herbs together with a mortar and pestle. It was an old method, but he liked it the best. He had carefully spread out a plastic sheet over the table, in case he spilt anything. Not that the three who lived here cared at all.

"Oi, Chopper, are you doing anything interesting? Can I help?" Chopper looked up, and saw Luffy sitting at the table across from him, smiling in a less than innocent way.

"Thanks Luffy, but I think I've got everything." Chopper smiled, and Luffy slumped back over to his spot by the window, pouting as he went. He stared at the ceiling for a little, then his eyes wandered over to another boy, sitting in the corner, oiling a sniper riffle. His long nose lined up with barrel as he peered down the scope.

"Oi, Usopp," said Luffy, sitting up, and clapping his feet together with a grin, "can I hold your gun?"

Usopp froze, and eyed Luffy gleeful expression with obvious fear.

"No," he said.

"Why~?"

"Luffy, you are forbidden by the government to drive a car, or any vehicle for that matter. Ever. Remember how that happened? Why do you think I would let you handle a gun indoors?"

"Why can you do that?" asked Luffy.

"Cause I've got a license and know how to use this thing without killing everyone in a five mile radius," replied Usopp, emptying the clip and sweeping the used cartridges into the trash, "now leave me alone. If you're that bored, go bother Zoro."

"I already know what Zoro's doing. He's losing."

"Not anymore!" said Zoro as he laid down his hand, revealing five identical cards.

((A/C. For those of you who've never played risk, basically, the point is to take over the world, and if you get three cards of the same, or three, one of each, you get more armies to concur said world. That means it's good to have three cards of the same, like Zoro does.))

"Wait, you have five there," said Sanji, counting,

"So?"

"You only need three!"

"No, you need five."

"It's three, we've been playing it like that from he beginning."

"Let me see," said Usopp, setting his riffle on the shelve and looking over Sanji's shoulder, "what the hell is this?"

"It's Risk, you've never played it?" said Zoro,

"No, I've played it. Many a time! Actually, I was the winner of last years world-wide Risk competition,"

"Really Usopp? That's amazing!" exclaimed Chopper, eyes lighting up,

"Moron, Risk competitions don't exist," said Sanji,

"Is that true Zoro?" asked Chopper.

"W-well, that's not the point," stammered Usopp, "my question is why you're using coins?"

"We flip a coin to see who wins the fight, seeing as we can't really fight in the apartment," said Sanji,

"Cause you're scared to fight me" smirked Zoro,

"Because I don't want to pay for all the things you break"

"Scared."

"You wanna bet?"

"You don't play with coins, you play with dice," said Usopp, ignoring the fight that had broke out between Zoro and Sanji, "and what's this?"

"That's the One Piece!" said Luffy, "the one who gets it wins the game and becomes the king of pirates."

((A/C. This fan fic takes place in real time, so this thing Luffy spouts out about one piece it entirely unrelated to the fic itself. I wanted to write something as though the straw hats existed in modern time.))

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of," said Usopp,

"No it isn't," said Luffy, "I invented it, so it's cool." He gave a firm nod at what, to him, was common logic.

"No it's just, last time I checked, your goal was to sail around the ocean twice," said Usopp.

((A/C. They've all got it wrong. That's not how you play risk. They fail at risk. A good game, if you're wondering. ))

"This is much cooler!"

"Just go away Luffy." Luffy gave Usopp a hurt look, then went away, in the direction of the kitchen. Chopper hopped off his chair and went to break up Zoro and Sanji, who had just knocked over the risk board. "Hey, be carful guys," said Usopp, jumping back to avoid the brawling roommates.

"Marimo!" yelled Sanji, aiming a kick at Zoro's head,

"Love-cook!" shouted Zoro, dodging Sanji's kick and trying to punch his in the face.

"Zoro, Sanji, calm down!" said Chopper. He made a vain attempt to stop the two men fighting.

"Hey, guys, watch this," everyone froze. Luffy had Usopp's riffle in hand. He was holding it like a power drill with the opening facing the floor.

"Luffy," Zoro said, moving slowly towards Luffy and speaking in a pacifying voice, "put the gun down."

"K, fine. I was just kidding with you guys. It not like I was actually gonna-" just then there was a knock on the door. Luffy jerked the gun up, and his hand slipped on the trigger. Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp, all had the good sense to duck when they saw Luffy raise the gun again. But it didn't matter, because the bullet zoomed toward the door instead. There was a bang, and a crash, a splintering of wood, and then silence. "Oops," said Luffy. "I broke the door." He threw the gun aside, and Usopp dived to catch it before it hit the ground. Luffy marched to the door. There was a hole it. He peered out like it was a peephole.

"Oh, hi there Nami, Robin," he said.

"What?" Sanji suddenly perked up, "Nami-swan, Robin-chwan?"

"What was that? Are you trying to kill us?" came an angry voice from behind the door,

"Nami-swan!" Sanji leapt to his feet and rushed over to the door. He opened it, and was thanked for his trouble by a fist in the face. He flew backward in to the sofa. Nami was standing there, looking pissed. Her orange hair seemed like fire, her brown eyes burned. Then these eyes found Usopp, who was still clutching his riffle.

"Why did you shoot at me?" asked Nami. Usopp was sweating bullets.

"I didn't, it was Luffy!" all eyes turned to Luffy.

"No I didn't," said Luffy, swaying from side to side and trying not to look Nami in the eyes.

((A/C. Just a side comment, I feel like Usopp deserves a riffle. He can use a sling shot in the manga, but I think he deserves an awesome gun in my fan fic. For those of you who do not know what a sniper riffle looks like, I think there's actually a picture of Usopp with one. It's cool. ))

"Aww, Luffy," Nami spoke in all sweetness, walking up to him with a smile on her face, every one but Luffy shrank back, aware of the pain about to be inflicted on the unfortunately oblivious boy, "you're such an obvious LIAR!" She shouted the last part, slamming Luffy in the face with a punch that seemed impossibly fierce for her small size. Luffy, on the receiving end, flew backwards into the couch with the ringing of the blow still echoing in his ears.

"Nami swan! You're so cute when you're mad!" said Sanji, leaping to his feet, then hit Luffy on the head. "Damn you! You almost shot Nami san!"

"Ow! What was that for Sanji?" Luffy, it seemed, had already forgotten about the damage dealt moments before.

"What's the matter miss Nami?" another woman had entered the room. She had raven hair and clear black eyes. She was tall and elegant, and had a calm aura.

"Robin-chan!" Sanji proclaimed in delight. Robin smiled.

"Me and Nami were hoping to stay here're for a while, as long as there's still a flood warning. You're the only ones we know that have a room on the fifth floor."

"3~ of course Robin chan, Nami swan! We would be honored! It gets cold here at night. You can come and sleep with me!~3" Nami sighed as Sanji giggled with glee.

"I told you he'd be like this," she said to Robin,

"We didn't have much of a choice," Nami nodded in agreement. "Well don't get cocky Sanji-kun, I brought this from work." Nami pulled out a little black gun with a lightning bolt on it.

"What's that Nami san?" Sanji leaned in closer. Nami pressed the taser to his chest. There was a buzz, and Sanji fell to the ground, still grinning.

"WAH! Sanji!" Chopper wailed, kneeling down to inspect the taser mark, "Nami! Was that really necessary?"

((A/C. Nami with a taser. Watch out. Same as Usopp with a snipper riffle. Poor Sanji, he got tased.))

"It was. I don't want him getting any ideas," said Nami, putting the taser in her bag, and ignoring the frightened looks Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp were giving her.

"I think he might have a second degree burn."

"I don't think he'll care. Mind if we bring our stuff in."

"S-s-sure!" said Usopp, his voiced high pitched.

"Thanks!" said Nami. She and Robin went out into the hall and came back with a suitcase each. Had Sanji still been awake, he probably would have rushed to take the girls bags, but he was still out cold. "Don't you have any air mattresses? Futons? Something?" Usopp shrugged,

"I dunno, not my apartment. Me and Chopper are staying here for the flood warning too." Nami turned to Luffy and Zoro, who were now picking up the Risk board.

"I think eyebrows has some in the closet," said Zoro. Nami crossed to the small closet and opened it. She was attacked by a wave of junk.

"What is all this?" she said emerging from the heap of useless crap.

"Ah. We haven't cleaned it out in a while," said Zoro, still more concerned with the Risk board then the buried redhead. A vein on Nami's forehead pulsed.

"We'll use your studio as a bedroom for now," said Robin, "you aren't using it, are you?"

"Nah. We never really use it. But sometimes Brooke and Franky use it," said Luffy, "I like Brooke. He's funny."

"Just please don't taser anyone else," begged Chopper. He had now moved Sanji over to the sofa. Nami climbed out of the sea of stuff.

"I mean, at least Robin didn't need to bring a weapon." said Chopper. Robin smiled.

"That's just because I could kill most of you without the use of a weapon." The room suddenly seemed a lot colder. Usopp paled and Chopper looked on the verge of passing out.

"I won't hurt him as long as he keeps himself under control, and that goes for all of you!" Nami said, pointing a menacing finger at all of them. Zoro shrugged and went to fish some mattresses out of the mess Nami had recently disentangled herself from. Luffy was staring out of the window again. Chopper was still treating Sanji's taser wound. Usopp just nodded, then went to put his riffle away. Robin put a hand on Nami's shoulder.

"Don't worry," she said, "we'll probably be out of here tomorrow. It's just until it stops raining."

"You think it'll stop raining tomorrow?" asked Luffy, "I wanna go outside!"

"Maybe," answered Robin, "maybe."

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><p>In the morning, Nami was awakened by the scent of eggs and the pattering of rain. She sat up, relieved that she hadn't the need to use her taser. Robin was already up. Her mattress was empty. Nami got up and pulled a bathrobe over her pajamas. In the kitchen, she found Sanji making eggs and bacon, and acting as though she hadn't attacked him with a taser last night. Actually, she did feel a little sorry about that. He hadn't be doing anything alarming yet. But he probably didn't care.<p>

Luffy was watching a pan of bacon, and occasionally trying to steal a piece. Whenever he tried, Sanji aimed a kick at his head, and he was forced to abandon mission to duck. Zoro was probably still asleep, Chopper was reading with Robin, and Usopp was throwing darts at a dartboard.

"Nami-swan!" Sanji said, noticing her, "I hope you slept well?"

"Yes thank you," she said, sitting down at the table. The kitchen was the only spot in the apartment that was really clean. Sanji's kitchen cleaning habits bordered on the obsessive. He cooked everything, and kept his tools clean and organized. He also always ended up doing the dishes. Zoro flatly refused to do any housework if Sanji asked him to do it. Especially if Sanji asked him to do it. Sanji probably would have forced Luffy to do the dishes, but Luffy always ended up breaking all of them, even if he wasn't trying to.

Sanji put a steaming plate of eggs in front of Nami, and she muttered a thanks. Luffy took the opportunity and the bacon disappeared from the pan.

"Watch it Luffy," said Zoro, coming out of his room fully dressed with his swords at his side, "there'd better be some left for me when you're done."

"You're only up now Swordsman-san?" asked Robin from her spot on the sofa, "it's rather late for a week day."

"Yeah, well, it's raining so hard, doesn't matter anyway," said Zoro, pulling out a chair at the table, "I think it rained through the night. So I can't get to work. It's on the other side of the river, and the bridge bound to be closed in this weather"

"Wait, what did you say?" asked Sanji,

"I don't have work today curly," said Zoro, searching the fridge for a beer,

"No, before that," Sanji focused back on Luffy, and noticed the magically empty bacon pan. "Luffy, did you eat that?" he asked, pointing at the pan. Luffy, looked away and started humming. Sanji kicked him again.

"Well, I'm off work," said Usopp, throwing a dart, "I got a call this morning. Apparently we were a bit ahead last week, so they can afford to give the day off." The dart thumped in the center of the dartboard.

"I've got noon sift at the restaurant, so I'll be gone until about five if all goes well" said Sanji.

"Robin's leaving soon, and I've got to go to work too..." said Nami.

"Doctrine wants me back for lessons," said Chopper, closing his book, " I have to leave pretty soon. What about you Luffy?"

"No way Ace will wanna be out today. If he does, he'll call or something," said Luffy.

"Wait," said Usopp, realizing in the middle of throwing a dart what this meant. The dart flew off course and hit the wall. "That means you'll be leaving me with Luffy and Zoro for the day."

"Seems like it," Zoro said with a shrug.

"Usopp!" said Luffy "will you let me try out your gun?" Usopp paled.

"Oh god no. Don't leave me here guys!"

"See ya Usopp!" said Chopper, now bundled in a raincoat, and boots. He waved and strolled out the door.

"I'm going now," said Robin, "there might be some traffic," she put her book away and got out a black raincoat and umbrella,

"Thanks for the eggs Sanji," said Nami, getting up and putting her plate in the sink, "I'm going to get dressed now."

"Yes Nami-swan!" said Sanji, "I think I should go too. It's only eleven, but I like to get there early so I can make sure those amateurs haven't messed everything up." They both left the room.

"Good luck guys," said Robin cheerfully, "wish me well. This weather can be dangerous." She closed the door behind her, leaving Usopp, fiddling with the darts in his hands, Zoro flipping channels on the TV, and Luffy, staring out the window.

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><p>"Ussssssooooppp! I'm bored!" wailed Luffy, lying on a beanbag next to the window, "have you got anything interesting to do?"<p>

"No Luffy. I haven't got anything to do."

"Zoro?"

"Zoro's asleep Luffy."

"Oh." Luffy started to play with a slinky.

"Oi, Luffy, don't touch that, it's mine, you'll tangle it!" said Usopp,

"Oh, sorry" said Luffy, throwing Usopp a tangled mess of wire that had not so long ago been a slinky. Usopp sighed, he didn't see why he had to baby sit Luffy. And Zoro wasn't making it any easier for him. All he did was sleep. Usopp might have gotten his rifle out, but he was afraid of what Luffy would do if he saw it. Right now, he was trying to do some work, but Luffy kept singing this annoying song.

"Luffy, shut up, will you?"

"Ugh, why won't it stop raining!" Luffy fished a rubber ball from under the sofa, and began bouncing it against the wall. It made an annoying whack every time it hit.

_Deep breaths, Usopp. Count to ten. One…Two…Thre-_THWACK. Usopp stifled the urge to grab the offending object and throw it and its equally annoying wielder out the window.

"Luffy, if you're so bored, why don't you go somewhere where you won't annoy me." Usopp snapped as the rubber balls incessant bouncing continued.

"Like where?" asked Luffy.

"How about the studio?" suggested Usopp,

"Fine," said Luffy. He threw the rubber ball and it rolled under the sofa again. Luffy made his way over to the studio.

_Finally,_ Usopp thought, _Now maybe I can actually get something productive done._

"Usopp!" came a voice from the studio,

"What?" Usopp growled, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Brooke left some of his equipment here! What do I do with it?"

"What?" this time, Usopp was more curious than annoyed. Brooke was a musician who was almost as protective of his equipment as Sanji was of his knives. In other words, a lot. More than the words "a lot" entailed. A whole lot more than was necessary in Usopp's opinion. Usopp left his paper and pen and joined Luffy in the studio.

On sunny days, the studio was full of light. It had a sun roof, and wood panel floors. But the constant rain had made it impossible for one to see through the glass. In the hands of other people this room might have made a good art studio, or maybe a music studio. But Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji had turned it into a storage area. When Brooke started using it, they had tried to clean it up, but organization had never been their forte. There were still boxes lying around. There were a couple of chairs, and the mattresses where Robin and Nami and slept last night. It seemed the girls has done a bit of cleaning, because everything looked unusually neat.

Luffy was right. There was still an electric guitar sitting on one of the chairs, still plugged into a sound box. Luffy was staring at it. Usopp joined him.

"Brooke never let me touch any of his instruments," said Luffy,

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," continued Usopp. There was no need to speak. Luffy never had any restraint to begin with, but maybe on another day, Usopp would have had the will to say no. But the constant of the rain had driven both he and Luffy near insane with boredom. It was time for desperate measures. Luffy and Usopp looked at each other, and their faces broke into evil smiles.

* * *

><p>Zoro awoke to a discordant note on a...an electric guitar?<p>

"What now?" He muttered as he cracked an eye open, and did what he called "the check." First, was there any immediate danger? Projectiles? Enemies? No. Zoro relaxed a little. Next: was Luffy there. No. He wasn't. That meant, not good. Lastly, was there anything else wrong. Yes. Usopp was gone too.

In collage, Usopp, Luffy, and Luffy's brother Ace, had all shared a common passion for science. Usopp loved anything that had to do with marksmanship. If you could aim it at something, Usopp could hit that something. Ace was a hard-core pyro, with a flare for explosions. And Luffy, well, Luffy seemed to just enjoy watching them do anything. Of course, he never understood anything his brother and friend did, but it entertained him all the same.

When it came time to graduate, the friends never lost contact. Ace went into the special affects business, so he could do what he did best: blow stuff up. He didn't usually go on stage himself, but when he did, he was also a good actor. Luffy got a job as a stunt double. He was good at it. He was fearless, active, and seemingly impervious to injury. This is where he got his nickname, "rubber-boy."

Usopp went into weapons. He worked for a pretty well known company. He occasionally went and worked with Ace and Luffy.

When both Luffy and Usopp went missing, it meant that they were either in trouble, or making some. The only thing more ominous was when Ace, Luffy and Usopp all went missing together. Zoro got up, all signs of drowsiness gone. Another cord rang throughout the apartment. Zoro followed the sound to the studio, where he found Usopp and Luffy. Luffy had an electric guitar sitting on his lap, and he was attempting to play it. Zoro recognized it. It was Brooke's.

Brooke was a tall older man and a freeloader, with an afro and a talent for music. He'd stayed with them about two month ago. He'd grown on Luffy, mainly because he told terrible puns and sang. Apparently, Luffy had grown on Brooke too, because a week after he'd stayed at their apartment, Zoro had found him at the door again. Now he was a regular visitor.

((A/C. Yeah, the story's only just being explained now. Whatever.))

"Isn't that Brooke's?" asked Zoro,

"Yeah!" said Luffy, "Hey Zoro, watch this!" Luffy strummed a little tuneless melody. Zoro nodded, trying to act impressed, and not really pulling it off.

"Come on Luffy," said Usopp, trying to pull the guitar away from the other boys grasp.

"No!" said Luffy, "I'm not done with it yet," he tried to pull the guitar back from Usopp. It was like watching two four year olds playing tug-o-war with Brooke's precious instrument.

"Oi, Luffy" began Zoro, "be more carful-" but Luffy wrenched the guitar out of Usopps hands. He jerked back a little and the neck of the guitar knocked over a pile of boxes. Old clothes spilt all over the floor, sliding on the wood surface.

"Luffy! What are you doing?" Usopp started freaking out. Luffy just held on to the guitar, looking a little bewildered at the sudden outburst.

"What? It's not like it's broken or anything,"

"That's Brooke's guitar!"

"Yeah, but it's not broken!"

"This is why you always break things!" Usopp chided. Zoro couldn't help it. He laughed at the exasperated expression on Usopp's face and the confused one on Luffy.

"It'd be like if I took your hat," said Usopp, reaching for the straw hat hanging from Luffy's neck. But Luffy jerked away, his face turned suddenly wild.

"Don't touch my hat!" said Luffy, glaring at Usopp, who backed off.

"Ok, ok, I'm not gonna hurt your hat," he said, "Jeez. I know how much it means to you. Did you really think I'd break it?"

"That's what you said." Luffy turned his attention back to the guitar, and strummed a little more.

"Luffy, your doing it all wrong," said Usopp.

"You know how to play guitar?" Luffy asked in surprise,

"Of course! Didn't I tell you? I once went on a tour around the world."

"WOW!" Zoro left Luffy and Usopp to play with the guitar. If it got broken, he could pretend it was Usopp's fault. Either that, or he could inform Brooke that the amount he owed Zoro was enough to buy five brand new guitars.

* * *

><p>You can tell someone's bored when they try to learn the guitar in less then a week. Especially when that person is hyperactive and didn't have the patience to learn how to drive properly. Luffy was bored. Very. So when he found the guitar in the studio, he wasted no time. He started working. Chopper got back first. He was drenched through. The rain had continued throughout the day, pounding on the earth as if determined to crush it.<p>

"What's that?" Chopper asked Usopp wincing at the shrill and off-key screeching emanating from the bowels of the apartment. "It sounds like someone's trying to play an out of tune electric ukulele by plugging it into a dying cat." Usopp laughed a little. He was crouched with his elbows on the coffee table, his hands over his ears. "Is there something wrong?" asked Chopper,

"Luffy found a guitar. And he decided it was a grand idea to play it," said Usopp, with an odd tone in his voice.

"And?" Chopper sat down next to Usopp. His feet hung off the sofa without touching the ground.

"Oh, nothing, it's just that…I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS CEASELESS INFERNAL RACKET ALL DAY! ALL. DAY. LONG. That's what. It was fun for maybe the first hour, but now he won't stop! If I hear another one of these incessant, toneless, discordant tunes, I'm going to shoot a baby, then myself."

"Calm down Usopp," said Chopper, patting Usopp on the back, "I'll talk to him and see if I can't get him to stop."

((A/C. Yeah, we can all see where this is going. So what? So what if I want Luffy to play guitar? This fan fic needs a plot and this is what it gets.))

Chopper's bare feet pattered down the hall to the studio. He peered inside. Luffy was sitting a top a pile of boxes, guitar in his lap, strumming experimentally. He had his hat sitting on one of the nearby boxes.

"Hey Luffy." Luffy looked up and saw Chopper,

"Oh hi Chopper," Luffy grinned "Listen to this," Luffy strummed a few notes. Chopper couldn't hear any tune, but-

"Wow! Luffy! Can you play guitar? Is that It?" Chopper hopped up and down with excitement, "Let me try!" Luffy looked like he didn't want to let go of the guitar ever, but he reluctantly handed it to Chopper, who was vibrating with glee. But this glee evaporated when they found out that Chopper was too small to hold the guitar properly.

"Sorry Chopper," said Luffy, not sounding sorry at all, "maybe we can ask Brooke if he has a smaller one." Chopper sat down next to Usopp on the sofa again and covered his ears, resting his elbows on the table.

"What's the matter?" asked Nami, coming in, and taking off her rain gear. The "strumming" from down the hall reached her ears. "What is that?" she asked,

"Luffy," said Usopp,

"He's so mean, he wont let me try," said Chopper.

"Where'd he get his hands on a…whatever is making that sound?" asked Nami, putting some shopping bags down and craning her neck to stare at the studio door.

"Guitar. Brooke left it." Usopp looked up with an expression that spoke of endless agony and suffering. "Make it stoopppp…"

"What's wrong with it?" asked Nami, lifting an eyebrow.

"It's-it's-" Usopp waved his arms a little, then just gave up and put his hands over his ears again.

"Where's Zoro?" asked Nami, looking around for the green headed swordsman.

"No idea," said Usopp, "he said something about going outside..."

"That's crazy," said Nami, "it's almost a hurricane out there and he has no sense of direction!"

"I was too busy attempting to preserve my sanity. I didn't notice." Nami rubbed her eyes.

"I'll call him," she said, pulling out her cell, and dialing a number,

"Nami?" asked Chopper, "can you ask Luffy to give me a turn with the guitar?"

"He's not answering, damn it." said Nami, ignoring Chopper's request. She went to the window and looked outside. "I hope Robin and Sanji-kun are alright. Oh stop skulking you two," she said, in response to the looks on Chopper and Usopp's faces, "I think Luffy's-" she paused, then seemed to choke out the word, "-music is nice."

"Really?" asked Usopp, raising an eyebrow,

"Yes." said Nami, and she headed for the studio.

"Nami-swan! I'm home!" Sanji had just pranced through the door, followed by Zoro, who was looking wet and frustrated. "Where's Nami-san?" asked Sanji,

"She just left the room," said Usopp, "where'd you find him?" Sanji looked a Zoro,

"I found him walking in the opposite direction of here,"

"Shut up," spat Zoro, "I was taking a scenic route." Sanji smirked

"Sure. Right."

"You looking for a fight?"

"Yeah. Maybe,"

"What's all this noise about?" said Robin, folding up her umbrella.

"Robin-chwan!" Sanji forgot his anger and leapt to help Robin with her coat, "That's nothing. How was your day?"

"Fine, thank you," said Robin, "who's playing the guitar?" Sanji looked up, and then he noticed the sound too.

"That's Luffy." said Zoro, "He's the reason I went for a walk."

"Without a raincoat,"

"Shut your face eyebrows"

"Or umbrella,"

"I think I know that tune," said Robin, sitting down, eyes distant. She hummed a little. Usopp took his fingers out of his ears,

"You know, I think you're right. It's different." The random strumming had turned into notes. "I wonder what he's doing," said Usopp. He got up and went to the studio. Everyone else followed. Nami was sitting on a chair across from Luffy, watching him stretch his fingers to hold the right notes.

"No, not that one," she said, "that's an A. Try holding these." She moved his fingers into the right position.

"What's going on here?" asked Usopp,

"Oh!" Nami looked up, surprised to see the room full of people,

"Nami knows how to play guitar! Look!" Luffy played a tune. Everyone stared at Nami.

"Is that true Nami-san?" asked Sanji, "I don't remember you mentioning that." Nami blushed a little.

"No, don't say that Luffy," Nami hit him over the head, "I was just part of a band in college. I just know the basics."

"Nami-swan! You're so amazing!" Sanji said,

"What did you play?" asked Robin.

"I was vocals." Nami was red all over now. Zoro scratched his head.

"What made you quit?"

"That's no way to talk to Nami-san you insensitive Marimo!" yelled Sanji, aiming a kick at Zoro's head. Zoro raised his sword and blocked.

"Stop fighting you two!" said Usopp, "In any case, I'm glad I don't have to listen to tuneless strumming all day again."

"Now get out Luffy," said Nami, "this is me and Robins room right now. Remember?"

"Awww, common Nami?"

"No! Out" Luffy sulked, but left the room anyway, not wanting to feel the wrath of Nami's taser. "That goes for all of you too!" said Nami, pointing a threatening finger at everyone, "Sanji-kun, why don't you make dinner. Keep Luffy distracted."

"Yes Nami-swan!" said Sanji, straightening up and rushing from the room to follow her instructions. Everyone left but Robin.

* * *

><p>Halfway through dinner, Zoro's cell started playing "never gonna give you up" He took it out and looked at the ID.<p>

"It's Brooke!" he said, his mouth still full of food. He swallowed, then opened the phone. "Hello? Yes. Oh. Sure. That's fine. See ya then." He ended the call. "Surprise. Brooke's going to join us in a minute or two."

"Bff ffwy?' asked Luffy, spewing food everywhere. It was a miracle he could fit that amount of food in his mouth and still make any noise at all.

"I don't know. Just the way he is," said Zoro, once again filling his mouth with food.

"Luffy," said Usopp, "we need to give him his guitar back.

"Fo ay!" Usopp took that to mean "Ok"

"So, lets not mention the little adventure with the guitar. Right?"

"fwy?"

Someone knocked on the door. It was no doubt it was Brooke.

"Luffy, just remember," said Usopp desperately as Chopper went to open the door. Luffy nodded and swallowed his food. The door opened, and Brooke took off the top hat he was famous for, setting it down on a table.

"Thank you Chopper. You look like you've grown taller," Chopper smiled and blushed,

"That won't make me happy jerk!"

"Of course not," Brooke sat down at the table and took a bite of Sanji's cooking.

"Fwook! fing uff fa fong!"

"What was that Luffy?" Luffy swallowed.

"Sing us a song Brooke!"

"No, sorry Luffy. I don't feel like singing today."

"WHAT?" Luffy's face fell, almost comically, "Why?"

"I'm not in the mood." Everyone stared. Brooke was never not in a "singing mood". He seemed a little tired, and sad.

"Is there anything wrong?" asked Robin,

"Oh, well, sort of..." Brooke looked a little shy, "I don't want to push my troubles on others."

"No, go ahead," said Sanji, leaning forward. Brooke looked at his hands.

"The truth is... This is probably the last time I'll see all of you." Food sprayed everywhere as Luffy spat out the mouthful he'd been working on.

"WHAAAATTT?"

"Why Brooke?" asked Chopper, his eyes wide, like a baby panda. Brooke took a sip of tea and sighed.

"I'm out of money."

"You had money?" Zoro revived a blow to the head from Nami for this comment.

"Well, I always had enough to get by. From my concerts. Tomorrow, I was supposed to perform."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Have you heard of Buggy?" Nami straighten up a little.

"Yes, doesn't he run the Circus Club downtown?"

"They asked me and my band to play for them."

"Woah!" said Nami, eyes widening, "That's really big!"

"Did you know he's also a criminal?" asked Robin, stirring her drink calmly, and ignoring the shocked looks she was getting from her roommates,

"Yes," said Brooke, "that's why I've got to go on the run. You see, I can't play. We don't have a drummer, a base, or guitar."

"What happened to them?" asked Usopp. Brooke drained his tea in one gulp.

"The base player got arrested. I haven't got the money to bail him out. The guitarist was apparently part of a gang that just got split up. It was called Baroque works. He's in jail too." Robin stiffened but said nothing.

"And the drummer?" asked Zoro,

"Running from his debt collectors."

((A/C. Pandaman will always be there. ALWAYS! He's watching you. He killed Chuck Norris. (( E/C. NO WAY! Chuck Norris is immortal! So's Pandaman! They are forever locked in epic mortal combat))((A/C. Ah yes. I forgot.))))

There was silence. Even Luffy had stopped eating. Sanji lit a cigarette.

"So, unless you find a drummer, base, and guitarist, you have to run for it?" Brooke sighed.

"It's a big occasion for Buggy. He has some sponsors coming. His paycheck depends on me being there, and when I'm not, I doubt he'll be happy.'

"I can play guitar." Luffy had finally spoken. There was a moment in which Usopp's stomach dropped. He should have known. Luffy was unable to keep any kind secret.

"What did you say, Luffy san?" asked Brooke,

"I can play-"

"No you can't Luffy, stop saying that!" Usopp hissed in his ear, but it was too late,

"Really? Where'd you get your hands on a guitar?"

"No! He can't! Really! No!"

"You left yours here!" Luffy grinned, and Usopp shriveled in his chair.

"Can I hear you play?" Brooke seemed more focused on not having to flee the country then the fact that Luffy had been messing with his precious equipment.

"No." said Usopp, standing up to add resolution to his speech, "Firstly, Luffy can't actually play. Secondly, it's a bad idea to play for this Buggy character to begin with. We could get in serious trouble." Luffy entered the room with guitar in one had and speaker in the other. "What? When did you leave?"

"I've got them Brooke! Here we go!"

"You've got to plug them in first, Luffy san." Luffy was vibrating with excitement as Brooke got everything in place.

"Alright Luffy. Let's see what you got," Luffy grabbed the guitar and strummed. Everyone covered their ears but Brooke.

"Ouch! Turn it down!" Yelled Nami. Brooke held a hand to his ear. "TURN IT DOWN!" With the volume down several notches, you could hear the same strumming Usopp had endued the entire day.

"Hmm," was all Brooke said, "Alright Luffy. I'll admit, you need some work." Luffy's face fell. "But! I think you could pull it off with some help. You need to be willing to risk your life. If you don't deliver, Buggy might not just let it slide." Luffy stared at him. You could almost see the words floating in one ear and out the other.

"You're doing it wrong Brooke," said Sanji, crossing over to Luffy and looking him strait in the eyes. "You need to give him some motivation. Luffy, if you learn to play the guitar, and I mean really play it, not what you're doing now, before tomorrow, then I'll take you to a stand I know." Luffy was looking at Sanji now, with curiosity, "They have really good takoyaki."

"I'll do it!" said Luffy, then he paused, cocked his head, and wondered aloud, "What do I do?" Zoro laughed.

"You still need a drummer and a base player," Robin pointed out.

"Oh! That's right." Brooke seemed to have forgotten that fact, "I also kind of wish I could have a backup singer, but-"

"No we have all of those, unless we're not good enough," said Zoro.

"What do you mean?" Zoro took a swig of beer,

"I can do drums."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" asked Usopp,

"And he can do the base." Zoro pointed at Sanji and then at Nami, "She can sing pretty well."

"We were in the same band as Nami-san in college," explained Sanji "It's how we got to know each other."

"Why didn't you mention this?" demanded Usopp, indignantly,

"Well, if we all want to go around and share all the stupid things we did in college," started Nami.

"I get the picture," Usopp grumbled. Brooke was tearing up,

"You guys would do this for me? Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Luffy?" He looked at each as he said their name.

"Of course!" said Luffy, "We don't want you to leave! You're our friend!"

"Thank you so much!" Brooke blew his nose, but then he seemed to pull it together, "Well, If we're gonna pull this off, we'd better start now!"

"YOSH!" Yelled Luffy, "FOR THE TAKOYAKI!"

* * *

><p>"Alright Luffy. You've practiced. You've worked hard. And I hope you've made it. Got your guitar?"<p>

"Yeah, I got it."

"Nervous?"

"No."

"Of course not." Usopp was standing next to Luffy backstage at the Circus Exclusive Club. Luffy was never nervous, even when jumping from forty feet into the ocean, when he couldn't swim. He knew this from working with him on films. Usopp wasn't sure if it was stupidity or recklessness or something else for which the English language had no words. ((E/C the Japanese do. "Haki". ;) ))

"You know what to do right?"

"Yeah, of course I do. Quit worrying Usopp."

"Alright," said Usopp, taking deep breaths, "It's just, our very lives might depend on you sticking to the plan."

"Don't worry Usopp, I've got an idea." Usopp froze. He'd heard that line before.

"Luffy, what are you planing? Wait! LUFFY!" but it was too late. The lights went on, Luffy stepped on stage, and Usopp was left alone in the dark.

* * *

><p>"Ladies and Gentlemen! Children of all ages, I proudly present to you, the Gold Rogers." The crowd roared. Nami wasn't shaking. Once, she had been a part time model. That was where she learned the many ways to use a taser. She'd learn to deal with nerves, externally. On the inside, her stomach was turning. She tried to remember how she got into singing to begin with. Oh yeah. A sunny day. Bright blue sky. Opposite of today. The rain had continued. On that sunny day, she'd been offered to join a band. By a young blonde, with a curly eyebrow. He said he'd heard her sing, and that he would be honored if she would join the band. She'd accepted, being young, and still foolish in the ways of men. She asked him how many where already in the band. Two, he said, him, and her.<p>

Eventually, they ended up with a drummer. The man infamous for getting on Sanji's nerves, for dying his hair green, and for carrying three swords around wherever he went. The only drummer available. The irony. And the guitarist. Her sister. Nojiko. She knew exactly what she'd say if she could see her now.

"Nami, what have you gotten yourself into?" Nami forced a smile. She was good at this. Being a model had taught her well. She looked to the side. Just like old times. Zoro at the drums, but swords still within grabbing distance, Sanji, cigarette drooping out of mouth, glasses, blue base. The only new things were the tall man with the afro and the boy with the red guitar and straw hat.

"Didn't I once have a plan for my life?" wondered Nami, "Yes. Yes I did. I wanted to draw maps." Then Zoro tapped the drumsticks together. One, two, one two three. No time to think now. Just go with it. That's what made a musician. Everything was going well. The one she had the most concerns about was Luffy, but he seemed to be doing fine. Great, even. They finished the first song, and went on to the next. Nami's voice was warming up. She found it easier to reach the high note. She was having fun.

Then, something happened. Luffy seemed to nod to someone in the audience. Nami saw out of the corner of her eye, that someone head for the backstage. She looked around desperately. No one else had noticed. She wanted to signal them but then the lights flashed. Two huge column of flame flew into the air, lighting up the stage. The audience gasped. Nami gasped too, but quickly recovered herself. Years later, Nami would look back and thank God again and again that, somehow, everyone kept going. Somehow, they finished the show, with god knows what going on behind them. Whatever it was, however, it was affective. The audience was going nuts.

And then Luffy made it even more difficult. When it was time for a guitar solo, he took center stage. Then he did a backflip. While playing. Twice. Nami nearly had a heart attack.

But when they finished, the audience applause made it all worth it. Nami had been on stage once or twice before, but she had never received such enthusiasm. She almost forgave Luffy. Almost. As soon as everyone was out of sight, Nami slapped him.

"Ow!" Said Luffy, rubbing is head,

"Never. Do. That. AGAIN!" she hit him again, "EVER!" then Nami hugged him. Hard. Luffy looked as though everything he knew about woman changed. Mind you, there wasn't a whole lot though changed.

"Wow Nami! I was worried you were gonna kill my brother there." Nami turned and saw Luffy's older brother Ace.

"Oh! Ace! That was you!" Ace smiled. He looked a lot like Luffy. He was wearing shorts and a hat. No shirt, which showed off a tattoo on his back and arm.

"Did ya like it?" He asked,

"It would have been better, if we had been told fire was going to come out of the stage!" said Zoro, clutching his heart and gasping. "Luffy! What were you thinking? There. Was. Fire. INCHES from me!" Sanji kicked Luffy in the head,

"What was the friggin' backflip for!"

"I thought you would like it!" said Luffy, looking stunned, as if he thought being nearly lit on fire was the funnest thing he could think of. Ace laughed,

"Next time, just tell us what we're in for, Luffy-san. We're in it together, so let's act like a team." said Brooke. There was a moment. Then Zoro's gasps tuned into hysterical laughter. Sanji smiled, and Nami started crying a little.

"Great show." Robin had appeared from the crowd, a smile played around her mouth.

"LUFFY!" Usopp came hurtling around a corner. He flew into Luffy and began sobbing. "You are SO STUPID!" He fell down, gasping on the floor, "I think I lost a few years." Chopper bounced up from behind Robin,

"That was so cool! Do the backflip again Luffy!" Luffy looked like he was about to comply, but Nami glared at him, and he seemed to shrink a little.

"That was fun!" said Sanji! Nami laughed, and Zoro nodded.

"Yohohohohohoho!" Brooke broke into laughter.

"We should do that again!" said Luffy, grinning like a madman, "Ace, can I still count on you for affects?" Ace tipped his hat, and gave another maniacal grin, matching Luffy's,

"Of course," he said.

"Right then." It was one of those moments. Luffy had decided. Everyone else had decided. It was happening.

"Sanji," said Luffy, very seriously,

"Hm?"

"You owe me Takoyaki."

End part one.


	2. Drums

**This is not a pairing fan fic. I don't support any one pairing. Some ZoroxNami or ZoroxRobin might slip in there, but if you don't want a fan fic about pairings it's pretty easy to ignore.**

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY!**

**If I don't get any reviews, I'll catch a horrible disease called emo. I may even stop writing. **

**Edited by Missmountain94**

**A/C= Authors comments.**

* * *

><p>Part two: Drums<p>

The rain had finally stopped. The river was still overflowing, so Zoro couldn't go to work. Sanji, however, was needed until noon at Baratie, the popular restaurant downtown, and because Luffy couldn't wait until noon, the task of taking Luffy to the Takoyaki stand fell to Zoro and Robin. The library that Robin worked at wasn't open on Saturday, so the three of them were sitting at a stand, with the sunlight smiling down upon them, and the birds singing.

Robin had first met Luffy and Zoro through Nami. She remembered Nami getting a call from Luffy one night. Zoro was drunk. He was in trouble. They needed a place to hide. Not exactly the situation for best first impressions. Robin knew people who could make police records disappear. With her help, the whole incident was smoothed over. Apparently, Zoro had gotten hammered and then challenged a woman to a fight. The woman had looked like a dead friend of his. If this had been just any other girl, things might have been worse, but this girl was good at swordplay. With Zoro drunk, she won. But someone had already called the police, so...

Zoro did look like the type who would get drunk and challenge a stranger to a duel. He had a fierce look, a muscular build, and carried his swords everywhere. But when you got to know him a little more, you saw how much he valued honor. It was more than that but Robin didn't know how to describe it. Robin had learned to judge people quickly, to know them without being attached to them, but there were still some people she couldn't find words for.

"This takoyaki is good!" said Luffy, "Why aren't you having any Robin?" Robin smiled. Luffy was another person she found hard to describe.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry."

"That's crazy!" said Luffy, but he stopped talking then, so he could focus more on eating.

'It is good," Zoro commented, chewing. Robin smiled,

"I'll try some then," she took a little bite. It was good.

"Do you like it?" asked the stand owner. His name was Hatchi. His arms were longer than his legs, and he had reddish skin and a big torso. She nodded and Hatchi beamed with delight.

"Luffy, did you really learn how to play guitar in a little less than two days, just for this?" Luffy swallowed,

"Nope. I would've learned anyway."

"That's what I thought." Robin took another bite. She was really enjoying herself. There was a slight breeze, and all the plants were green because of the rain. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone. The food turned to ash in her mouth. She knew that face.

"What's wrong Robin?" Zoro asked,

"I have to go," she said, and she left without another word.

* * *

><p>Zoro walked into the apartment at 1:00, even though they had left the Takoyaki stand at 10:30. Without Robin, it had taken a long time to get back. Why'd she leave in the first place? That little-<p>

"There you are you stupid marimo!" Sanji, at least, was back already. Usopp too. Sanji was making lunch and Usopp was oiling his riffle. Sanji finished dicing some onions and dropped them into a pot. "Where's Robin-chan? I thought she was with you."

"She was, but she left," said Zoro, fishing a beer out of the fridge and opening it, "Thought she came back here."

"Well obviously, she didn't" said Sanji, clearly annoyed. Zoro shrugged. A fight might have broken out, but a distraction arrived in the form of a boy with a straw hat.

"Sanji! That Takoyaki was the best!" Sanji smiled

"Glad you liked it. Wish I could've taken you, but they needed me at Baratie." Sanji began stirring the pot. A bang made everyone jump.

"Sorry!" said Usopp, holding a smoking riffle, "I thought it wasn't loaded."

"Be carful Usopp," said Sanji, "someday you're gonna kill someone!"

"Usopp! That was so cool!" said Luffy, bouncing up and down, "Can I try?"

"No!"

"Why do you keep that with you anyway?" Asked Zoro,

"I have my reasons," said Usopp, holding his gun close. Everyone knew the reason Usopp carried a gun. Despite the rumor that it was out of paranoia, it was mainly because it was the only way he was getting girl. Maybe it was also because he liked to shoot things, but without the sniper rifle, Usopp was pretty much hopeless when it came to the opposite sex. Accept maybe that Kaya girl, Zoro mused, taking a sip of beer, she seems to have a thing for him. So really, he doesn't need that gun. Maybe it was paranoia after all?

Sanji looked out the window, with a worried expression.

"I wonder where Robin is? I hope she's safe." Zoro's cell rang. It was Brooke.

"Hey Brooke," said Zoro, "What's up?"

"Hello Zoro-kun. I was only wondering if you had the lyrics ready yet?"

"What?"

"It's fine if you don't. I'm not going to harp on about it! Yohohohohoho!"

"What are you talking about?"

"The lyrics I asked you to write, for our next performance? Is there anything wrong with the recording I sent you?"

"Uh... No, I don't have them yet, I will soon." Zoro hung up, staring at the phone like it was a meteorite. "What was that about?"

"What was it about?" asked Sanji

"Brooke says I was supposed to write some lyrics for him. I don't remember that..." Sanji smacked his forehead,

"Oh! Forgot to tell you! He emailed me wondering if any of us could write lyrics for a new song he wrote. He has the tune, but-"

"You didn't." Sanji grinned.

"I told him you could do it."

"He believed you?"

"I sent him a sample of some of your previous work." Zoro glared at him,

"What previous work? The only thing I have on that computer that is remotely lyrical is that- Oh no way..." The only thing Zoro had ever written that resembled lyrics...

"The love poem you wrote to your girlfriend. When you were five?" asked Sanji, gleefully scooping curry powder into the pot, "Yup, I did."

"I hate you."

"I know."

"A lot."

"I try." Zoro felt like he might like to take Usopps' riffle and shoot the blonde cook. He thought about it. But dinner wasn't ready yet. No, there was no way he could ever forgive Sanji for this.

"I'm not writing them!" said Zoro,

"Yes you are," said Sanji, "Brooke's already expecting you too and the performance isn't too far off. You'll need to hurry up if we can practice at all."

"Why don't you write them then,"

"Well, I told Brooke that if you don't, he can use the love poem I sent him. And I told him who it was by." Sanji hummed as he set the timer for twenty minutes.

"I'm going for a walk," growled Zoro, and he left.

* * *

><p>"I hate that cook!" Zoro muttered to himself, kicking a tin can and listening it rattle down the ally ahead of him. "And how did I end up here?" He stopped and looked at yet another dead end. He turned and started going in the other direction. "Well now I have to write a song. How do I do that? Where do I get inspiration? Rrrrrrrr." Zoro stopped. He was back at the same dead end he'd seen less than a minute ago.<p>

He imagined a nearby trashcan had a curly eyebrow and blonde hair. He drew his sword and cut it in half. "How about I try and write a song about how much I hate that cook?" Zoro sat down and thought for a moment. Then he remembered he didn't have any paper. He swore and got up. "I'll just find a cafe or something." He stomped off.

* * *

><p>How he ended up at Bellemere's orange orchard, he did not know. But now he found himself looking at the run down little building, behind it, the sun illuminated the orange orchard, flooding it with molten gold light. The trees were dripping with ripe oranges.<p>

"So this was the place Nami grew up," Zoro said to himself. He might as well go in.

A bell rang as he opened the door and stepped inside. It was cool, and dark compared to outside. There were a couple little tables and a stand where Nami's sister Nojiko was leaning her head on her hand. She had blue hair and a tattoo on her lower arm. It resembled Nami's tattoo a little, but Nami's was smaller, simpler, and on her shoulder.

"Hello Zoro," she said, when he came over to the stand, "would you like some orange juice? It's fresh."

"Sure," he said, and he sat down. Nojiko turned her back to Zoro, and a few minutes later, she placed a tall glass of bright orange juice in front of him. He took it with a muttered thanks, but didn't drink.

"What's bothering you?" asked Nojiko, leaning forward,

"I never said anything was wrong," said Zoro,

"It's written all over your face." Zoro scowled,

"Is it now?" Nojiko smiled a little,

"When a grown man accepts a glass of orange juice, there's something wrong." She nudged his glass, "Have some! It's good for the soul." Reluctantly, Zoro gulped the bright orange juice. It tasted like sunshine and breezy afternoons. "Now," said Nojiko, as he set the empty glass down, "why are you looking grumpier than usual? Maybe I can help." Zoro looked at her smiling face.

"You'd make a good counselor," he said, sighing, "fine. I have to write a song by Tuesday, for a performance on Wednesday. I'm not inspired, I've never written a song in my life, hell, I haven't even heard the tune." Nojiko listened patiently.

"Well, I can't say I haven't heard this rant before," she said, "I've heard it form Nami many a time." She got out a paper and pen. "Why don't you just write down the first thing that comes to mind?" Zoro stared at the paper, his mind blank. He couldn't believe he was doing this. After a few minutes, the only thing he'd come up with was, "I hate you Sanji, I hate you Sanji, I hat you Sanji," so he gave it up.

"Let's think..." said Nojiko, looking at the ceiling pensively, "Do you have a lover?"

"What? No!"

"No need to be indignant, that just makes you suspicious,"

"Really, I don't!"

"I believe you." Nojiko turned and got some more orange juice. Just then the door banged open. Three men entered. Zoro looked them over. One was big, with black hair and a triangle mouth. Zoro noticed two lumps in his sleeves, which were probably weapons of some kind. He guessed clubs. Another had big ears and hands. He had the look of someone who worked out on a regular basis and Zoro guessed he had some experience in martial arts. The last one wasn't even hiding his weapon. He carried a saw on his back. Zoro could tell that it had cut more in its lifetime than just wood. He noticed all this in less than ten seconds. He was getting slow. Perhaps he should work on that.

"Hey sweetheart," said the man with the saw, pushing Zoro aside so he could face Nojiko, "Wanna get me and my boys something?"

"Three glasses will cost thirty dollars Arlong," Arlong sneered,

"Couldn't you make it free?" Nojiko shrugged,

"Gotta make a living,"

"He hasn't payed yet," said Arlong, gesturing toward Zoro,

"Just about too," he replied, "how much for two glasses?"

"Uh," triangle mouth tapped Arlong on the shoulder,

"Gotta be at least twenty dollars," Zoro tried hard not to laugh. When triangle face opened his mouth, he looked like a bird. Then his brain caught up with his instincts. Nojiko was overpricing the juice. That meant... Zoro slapped a twenty on the table, then headed for the door. Arlong turned back to Nojiko, and that was when Zoro struck. He carried his swords at all times, and this was why.

He drew two. First, he knocked out big mouth with the flat of his blade. No wounds, but he would have a headache for a while. Then Zoro sliced open triangle mouth's sleeves and the two weapons he'd been carrying fell to the floor. He was right, they were clubs. He cut them in half. Then he clashed with Arlong's saw.

"Wait! Zoro!" Nojiko yelled, but it was too late. Zoro easily sidestepped Arlong's clumsy swing, and soon, triangle mouth was the only one left standing. Without his clubs, he seemed a little less threatening.

"Leave," ordered Zoro, and triangle mouth ran for his life. Silence followed. Nojiko had her hands over her mouth.

"What were you thinking?" she whispered, as Zoro sheathed his swords,

"They were harassing you," he replied, "I can tell a thug. Probably cause I am one." He left the orange orchard without saying anything else.

* * *

><p>Sanji was worried. Not because Zoro was still gone. Zoro was probably wandering around downtown, wondering why he wasn't at the apartment yet. He was worried because Robin hadn't shown up yet, and she wasn't answering her cell, or her home. It was already 6:00. He was seriously considering looking for her. Nami and Robin had moved back into their own apartment, but they had had promised to be there around 5:00 to practice the bands newest songs. Nami was there. She was typing something on her laptop, Chopper watching her. Luffy was watching a movie with Usopp and Ace, and Brooke was napping.<p>

"Have you got a call from Robin-chan yet?" Sanji asked Nami hopefully,

"No," she said, "don't worry yourself. She's a big girl, she can handle herself."

"Damn Marimo," said Sanji, wringing his hands and pacing,

"Don't say that," said Nami, closing her laptop and nudging Chopper off her lap, "It's not his fault."

"Yes, Nami-san." Nami stood and put her hands on her hips.

"If you're that worried, I'll go look for her."

"No, don't worry Nami-san, I'll do that for you,"

"You wouldn't know where to look Sanji-kun. I know a couple place Robin likes to go when she disappears." said Nami. Sanji didn't persist, and Nami got her coat on.

"Nami!" said Luffy from the couch, "Could you get us a pizza?"

"You just had dinner Luffy,'

"But I'm hungry again!"

"Me too," said Ace,

"Maybe, if I have time," said Nami, pulling on a hat and walking out the door.

* * *

><p>Zoro was on his last resort. He had tried walking, he had tried talking, he'd tried fighting. The lyrics to that elusive song still escaped him. So there was only one thing left to do. Zoro might get lost easily, but somehow, he could always find his way to a cheap drink. That's where he was now, at a bar, taking deep drafts of his third beer, with a piece of paper bearing the heading: song for Brooke, lying on the table in front of him. He slammed down and empty glass and demanded another. People were giving him strange looks, but he didn't care.<p>

"Damn that song, damn that cook" Zoro muttered, downing another beer, "that's low, threatening me like that. Hey, get me another one." He gestured toward his empty glass and the bartender set another beer in front of him. Why hadn't he gotten rid of that document? It wasn't important. No. He couldn't. He downed his fifth beer. The man sitting next to him moved to sit at one of the tables. So what? This was nothing. His record was forty drinks before he was too drunk to keep track.

But it was about his sixth drink when the memories came flooding back. He raised the seventh beer to no one in particular.

"Kuina, this is to you," the seventh disappeared. Kuina. He had met her when he was only three. That was his first day at the dojo. He and Kuina hadn't really trained together, more of trained to outmatch the other. Then Kuina had died. The publicly known story was that Kuina had died in a car crash, but Zoro didn't think so. One thing he remembered about Kuina is how she always walked home from the dojo, her house being only a few blocks away. For now, he was accepting the car story, but someday... He was on his tenth drink now.

Someone came down the stairs to the shady lower bar where Zoro was. Two someones. They were talking. He didn't know why, but it peaked Zoro's curiosity. He slumped on his stool, and rested his head on the table. It isn't hard to pull off being drunk when you're nearly there.

"Nico Robin," were the first words he heard, "is this place safe?" The voice was deep, male.

"Of course," It was Robins voice. The footsteps stopped.

"What about him? Is he not your friend?"

"He's dead drunk. Probably doesn't even hear us."

"Right." Zoro heard the scrapping of chairs as Robin and her mystery companion sat down.

"What is it you want from me?" asked Robin,

"You know." said the other,

"If it's about Baroque Works, you know I've stopped with that sort of thing." Zoro searched his memory. He was pretty sure he'd heard Baroque Works before. He cursed the eleven drinks inside him.

"That's not it Robin. It's them. You know who I mean."

"CP9?" Robin asked. Zoro didn't hear a reply, but he could just picture the man nodding. He could feel Robins discomfort from his spot at the bar. "I can handle it."

"Can you?" Zoro heard Robin shift in her chair,

"That doesn't explain why you're here Akoiji,"

"I came to warn you."

"Why would you help me like that?"

"I heard learning to play an instrument is good therapy,"

"Stop playing with me!" Zoro heard Robin stand.

"Just something a late friend told me," said the other man, Akoiji. Zoro heard him leave. He heard Robin come to the bar and sit down next to him. She sighed.

"Did you hear all of that?" Zoro stiffened, "You can stop pretending now, he's gone." Zoro raised his head a little. Robin was trying to smile at him, but wasn't really pulling it off. It was no use trying anymore. Zoro sat up and grabbed the twelfth beer in front of him.

"How did you know?" Robin snorted a little,

"I've seen you down more than this. There were only eleven empty glasses. One Scotch please,"

"You're freaky like that. Another beer." The bartender gave Zoro a wary look at this latest order, but slammed another one on the table none the less. "Why did you let me overhear that?" Robin looked into her drink as if it held all the answers. It occurred to Zoro that this might not be her first drink of the day.

"I wish I knew."

"Well, I've got time. Another!" Zoro received his fourteenth beer, and drained it in one go. Robin downed her drink. The bartender gave them both refills. Robin laughed and it wasn't the usually composed laugh. It was rather tipsy.

"Right then, drinking buddy?" Zoro inhaled number fifteen, and looked at her.

"You go first."

* * *

><p>Fifteen drinks and a lot of confessions later, Zoro was having trouble remembering how he got here.<p>

"Ish funny," said Robin, "now we gone and told e'thother all thish stuff, I don think we gonna remember it tomorrow." Robin hadn't had nearly as much as Zoro, but her voice was still slurred. Zoro laughed, then downed number thirty-one.

"Damn. I sorta feel like it wuz important."

"Nev'r mind that."

"Yeah, ne'r mind." Zoro drained his thirty-second beer. The ceiling was spinning. "I gonna try 'n write it down," said Zoro, picking up a pen and staring at a piece of paper on the table. It had something written on it. What was it? He held it up for Robin to see, "Can you read this?" Robin squinted at the paper.

"Nope." She shook her head for a little longer than was normal, then collapsed on the table. He glass rolled out of her hand and nearly fell to the floor, but the bartender caught it.

"Woah!" said Zoro, swaying back and forth, "how you'd that?"

"If I didn't, there wouldn't be any glasses left," said the bartender, smile full of pity, "what happened to you? Why're you here tonight?" Zoro shrugged, and then laughed. This guy was hysterical, his head looked like a bull. "What's your name?"

"Ronazrrr. Zerro." Zoro's head thunked on the table and he started snoring. The bartender caught his glass before it hit the ground. His speed was almost inhuman. A girl with orange hair blazed down the stairs.

"Robin! Robin! Oh, there you are!" She stopped at the bar. Nami was wearing her hat still, and her checks were red. "What was Zoro doing here too?" She wondered, "Oh good lord," she said, "what happened?" she turned to the bartender.

"They had a little talk," he said, "didn't listen to most of it. There seemed to be a couple of confessions in there somewhere. Don't worry, it's nothing like that," the bartender said in response to the look of horror and wonder on Nami's face. She sighed.

"Well, better work on getting these two home. They wont be going anywhere by themselves." She got a cellphone out and dialed a number. "Sanji-kun? Could you come and pick us up please? Thanks. Bye," Nami hung up, then noticed the pen in Zoro's hand, and the piece of paper. "Song for Brooke?" she read aloud. Her look of confusion changed to a smile. "You hopeless man," she muttered, then began to write.

* * *

><p>Zoro woke up in his bed. He preformed the check. One, was there any immediate danger? No. Two, was Luffy there? No, but that was ok. Luffy wasn't supposed to be there. Third, was there anything else wrong? Yes. There were many things wrong. Half of those things where located in his head, causing him a fair amount pain. It's tough waking up in the morning with an angry marching-band for a cranium. He tried to get up, but his limbs weren't responding. He tried again and the pain in his forehead increased. His tongue felt like sand. He groaned. What happened? He looked for the memories, but everything past drink eleven was fuzzy, and everything after fifteen was just plain gone. He spotted a glass of water on his bedside table. He reached for it gratefully and gulped as though he hadn't had a drink in days.<p>

After that, he felt a little better, but he still got dizzy when he tried to get up. He was usually good at recovering from hangovers, but this one was really bad. The last time he could remember a hangover like this was when he challenged Nami to a drinking competition. That was the incident with forty. Nami had won.

He noticed a little piece of paper that had been underneath the glass of water. It had the heading, "Song for Brooke," and had a song written underneath it. Beneath that was written, "Just this once." He scowled. Nami knew just how to make him in a worse mood than he already was.

When he finally dragged himself out of bed, he found a note from Sanji on the table along with a couple of fresh biscuits and a glass of orange juice. Orange juice. De ja vu. The note said, "River still flooded, so don't go to work. Just take it easy. Nice job on the song. Didn't think you could. Practice tonight." Zoro turned off the glaring lights, got himself a glass of water and an aspirin, and sat down to eat breakfast.


End file.
